Daily Podcast – November 28, 2018

28th November 2018 By: Mc'Kyla Nortje - Journalist

Daily Podcast – November 28, 2018

EFF Leader Julius Malema
Photo by: Bloomberg

For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m MC'Kyla Nortje.

Making headlines: Malema says he will stop inviting the media to EFF events, Mantashe says Gupta-linked Oakbay wanted ANC to put pressure on banks And, Parliament committee adopts Eskom inquiry report and recommends top executives testify before Zondo

 

Malema says he will stop inviting the media to EFF events

Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema says he will stop inviting the media to party events.

Malema and the EFF have been at loggerheads with the media after the politician launched an attack on the media and individual journalists last week.

Speaking outside the venue where the commission of inquiry into State capture is being held, Malema dubbed certain journalists "the defence force of President Cyril Ramaphosa and Pravin Gordhan".

On Sunday, Malema continued his attack, banning the Sunday Times and its reporters from covering his events and also labelling the publication's owners as racist.

A meeting request from the South African National Editors' Forum with Malema was declined.

Sanef has urged journalists to leave press conferences or rallies held by political parties if they feel under threat or intimidated.

 

Mantashe says Gupta-linked Oakbay wanted ANC to put pressure on banks

Gupta-linked Oakbay Investments wanted the ANC to put pressure on South Africa's banks to reopen the company's accounts.

This was the testimony of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe before the judicial commission of inquiry into State capture yesterday afternoon.

Mantashe told inquiry chair Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo that Oakbay wanted every institution, including the ANC, to put pressure on the banks to open their accounts.

Mantashe was giving testimony in response to claims by officials from the country's so-called big four banks who claimed they were summoned to Luthuli House to discuss why they had closed the personal and business accounts of members of the Gupta family.

 

Parliament committee adopts Eskom inquiry report and recommends top executives testify before Zondo

Parliament’s portfolio committee on public enterprises has adopted its final report into allegations of State capture at Eskom and Transnet, which recommends that some of power utility's former board chairs and top executives be requested to appear before the ongoing judicial commission of inquiry into State capture. 

The report refers to "undue influence" of private individuals over the board.

It had also recommended that the Speaker of the National Assembly Speaker take action against Dudu Myeni, Duduzane Zuma, Rajesh Gupta, Atul Gupta and Ajay Gupta for failing to present themselves to the inquiry upon request.

 

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

For a news update each morning, register for Polity’s free daily newsletter